Why You Need To Wear Your Goddamn Mask

Go for a walk, visit any open establishment or public space, and you will note a disconcerting phenomenon: People without masks.

There is a pandemic. Tens of thousands of Americans are dead because of Covid-19, a disease that spreads in droplets that are expelled by infected humans, including as they talk or cough, and whether they show symptoms or not.

It's hard to pinpoint how many of us are clueless and careless -- maybe half of those who go outside? A third? Some other fraction? -- but it's certainly way too many.

The lack of empathy is jarring. We need a shift.

Be prudent, be kind. One can think the government's response to the virus is an overreaction and still wear a mask, just in case you might make someone sick. That's reality.

Wearing a mask is cumbersome. It's hot, and it's uncomfortable. But it can save lives and ease the burden on those doctors and nurses facing unspeakable pain and suffering on the front lines.

Wearing a mask in public is an act of respect for your fellow humans. This is the kind of empathy everyone should try to teach their children. Our kids are watching us adults through this pandemic, and they are learning lots of lessons -- intended and unintended.

We need our children to understand that being mildly inconvenienced for the greater good is not only right, it's a moral imperative. It's how we manage to live together in relative safety in our society.

It's a no-brainer. Wear the goddamn mask.! 😷